reorganization

The Turnpike Authority in Massachusetts will formally pass away Oct 30, but the Turnpike itself will live on as a division of a new Massachusetts Department of Transportation that begins Nov 1.  The Turnpike generates $285m/year, a revenue flow there was never any question of the state foregoing.

James Aloisi, Turnpike chairman and a former chief staff lawyer there presided over the last monthly board meeting Thursday.

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority will cease to exist by Jan 1 2010 under a reorganization bill (sb2087) agreed between the two houses of the state legislature.

"Self-layoff" Alan LeBovidge looks like being the last full chief executive of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA).  Jeffrey B  Mullan, undersecretary of the Executive Office of Transportation (or state DOT) is only assuming the CEO position on an acting basis.

With a reorganization of transportation governance  moving through the state legislature the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority days are numbered, but tolling could be set to blossom. The Turnpike plus the two harbor tunnels along with MassPort's Tobin bridge will be transferred to a new Massachusetts Surface Transportation Authority (MSTA or 'MassSurfTrans'?) whose board of directors will be dominated by city planners, rail transit officials and environmentalists.

No matter what their political affiliation a nautical metaphor is always good for a positive headline in Boston papers when it comes to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Last year after the ceiling fell in on the Turnpike's Big Dig tunnel under First Lord of the Massachusetts Admiralty Mitt Republican Romney it was a "stem to stern review" that was put under way.

TransCore the leading US toll systems supplier has been quietly dividing itself in two. Without any announcement they seem to have bifurcated. That's the talk in the industry.

Local reports are that the new Patrick administration in Massachusetts is considering a plan to merge the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority into a new super transportation authority to be called the Massachusetts Transportation Authority (MTA). The new MTA - Mass Turnpike Authority is also MTA! - would include:

- the tax funded Mass Highway Department and certain roads and bridges now operated by a department of conservation

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has deferred the detailing of proposals for reorganization of the New Jersey Turnpike until after the November elections, according to the Star-Ledger newspaper.

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has reassured US House transportation chair James Oberstar he won't have any objection to what he'll propose to do with the New Jersey Turnpike. Oberstar along with coauthor congressman Pete DeFazio has been penning warnings to state governors not to do bad toll concessions or PPPs with investor groups, saying he will work to "undo" any such contracts from his perch in the US Congress.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick says its impossible to have "a comprehensive transport strategy" with the Massachusetts Turnpike and other state transport agencies run by independent boards of directors. He is quoted in reports today: ""Right now, no governor could implement a comprehensive transportation strategy in Massachusetts. We have delegated that authority to four or five independent (agencies) and they don't even talk to each other."